T H E 3 P I L L A R S O F LG BTQ + H E A LT H
HEALTH
J U LY 2 0 2 2
MIND B O DY SOUL
MIND
Emotional Reset Button BY KATIE MCCULLOUGH
I
avoided seeing a therapist regularly until about a year ago when two of my students were involved in a murder case - one of them the victim. I was buried under waves of confusion, grief, desperation and fear that had me eventually thinking, “okay, this scenario is ~bad enough~ for me to find a therapist.” It wasn’t growing up queer and being outcast from my church, struggling with anxiety, or being an out-and-proud-avocado-toast-eating-millennial (ha) that sent me seeking help when I surely needed it…NOPE, I waited until I was uncontrollably crying at work and paralyzed by insurmountable anxiety. If I am being honest, I did not make the call until the number for a counselor was placed in my mailbox and I let it sit in my desk for a couple weeks. At the time, I felt I only had enough bandwidth to focus on the well-being of the 150 students I see every day who do not have the same tools I have to combat trauma. I was putting the oxygen mask on everyone else before myself, so to speak. While I realize this scenario will not apply to everyone, I sense most people
can identify with the unexpected, spontaneous nature of life. It. Is. Hard. Excuse me while I call my mom… Okay but seriously, if you’re not sure what to do about life’s ebbs and flows, but have an inkling you might want some guidance…try going to therapy! If the cost is a concern, there are counselors available that charge on a sliding scale. If you are worried about awkward silence or not knowing what to say, don’t worry…that is inevitable! It is certainly not unique to your sessions. I am speaking as an introvert, so perhaps I have more experience with this particular phenomenon, but still! Why are you putting it off? Speaking to, as TikTok would say, the girls, gays and theys…we are living in a cis-gendered, heterosexual, patriarchal paradise. It is unavoidable unless you are living on a queer commune, which in that case…call me! But if you are like me, stop putting off prioritizing yourself. Statistically, LGBTQIA+ folks are more likely to struggle in this area than their cis-gendered, straight counterparts. But no matter who you are, allow me to comfort you with the fact that your life is bad enough to prioritize your mental health. Everyone’s is!
KATIE MCCULLOUGH, graduate of Flagler College, is currently teaching English Language Arts in Saint Augustine, FL, specializing in gifted and exceptional education. Prior to attending graduate school, Katie plans to pursue her passion for writing while finding time to travel the world
PHOTO BY FIDAOLGA VIA ADOBE STOCK
EMBRACE MAGAZINE
118
